This document discusses the importance of talking to your users (TTYFU) in product design and usability testing. It provides examples of how to conduct structured user experience reviews by simulating a target user's goals and stepping through a product's interface. While real startups often lack time, money or confidence to formally test with users, the document recommends starting with internal reviews as a lower-effort alternative. It also outlines common "ux bombs" like unclear calls to action and lengthy signup flows that negatively impact new users. The overall message is that directly involving users, even in small studies, can provide valuable insights to improve a product.
4. Go away.
How do I get
CNN in MS-Office?
RTFM!
Read The Fantastic(?) Manual
http://www.all-tribes.com/eng/catalog/rtfm-vol2-girls-mastic-p-51.html
5. Unfortunately real people don’t RTFM
1. F != “Fantastic”
2. Easier to bug the local techie
3. Better things to do
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juandesant/2320949867/
6. Unfortunately real people don’t RTFM
1. F != “Fantastic”
Usability time!
2. Easier to bug the local techie
3. Better things to do
http://www.flickr.com/photos/juandesant/2320949867/
7. How
do we make our
product usable?
TTYFU co-creation credit: Dave McClure
Pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/164175205
8. Go away!
How
do we make our TTYFU!
product usable?
Talk To Your Fantastic(?) Users
TTYFU co-creation credit: Dave McClure
Pic: http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/164175205
9. TTYFU =
“Usability” +
Field studies +
Surveys +
Metrics ++
Great
starting point
http://www.sensible.com/rocketsurgery/index.html
10. Unfortunately
real startups
don’t TTYFU
1. Lack of time
2. Lack of money
3. Too shy
4. “Launch and see”
syndrome
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunkv/97119622/lightbox/
11. Unfortunately
real startups
don’t TTYFU
W he Lack of time
hat is t 2. Lack of money
1.
3. d”
rlToo shy and see”
“He llo Wo 4. “Launch
of TTYFU ?syndrome
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dunkv/97119622/lightbox/
13. %^&*!!
WTF?
Product
Eng bash% man ttyfuw/ottyfu
14. Structured UX Review
Simulate a target user!
- Simple & quick
- Catch issues early
Not a substitute for TTYFU
but a useful compliment ...
15. Simple Process
1. Choose a Target User
2. Identify their goal
3. Step through UI to achieve
goal (& note problems)
At each step ask:
“What would they do next?”
16. Example
User: My Mum (Mom)
Goal:
I want to donate some money to
my son’s sponsored bike ride
23. Bonus points: TTYFU
Iterative “small-n” user studies hi!
- Involve entire team
- Again, start early
- Cover entire lifecycle
Triangulate findings
with metrics
24. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users”
How to provide users
with a “challenging”
first experience in 5
%^&*!!
easy steps! WTF?
25. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #1
Forget about how users get
to your landing page
26. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #2
No clear call-to-
action on every step of
the new user flow
27. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #3
Provide a long, drawn-
out signup form
28. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #4
Post-signup, dump users
on the Account page
29. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #5
Don’t do QA of all end cases in
your conversion flow
e.g. Don’t tell user its out of stock until they checkout
30. Startup UX Bombs - “New Users” #5
Its not just startups who make
these mistakes
See http://bit.ly/bccatS
31. Recap
TTYFU!
No money? No time? Too shy?
- Start with a structured UX review
- Choose target user and goal
- Step through flow systematically
- You will learn loads (promise!)
- Then TTYFU